Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-06-25
A CUBAN DUEL.


as second 10 n bowling Cuban swell |
was a duel that set the queen Of the An
titles aCog On Sunday night there va
music ia the park, and after dinner al
English lord, a Chicago gambler and
were strolling TRANQUILITY along in IN,
starlight when a magniticently appointed
victoria rose up and man whom we al
knew jumped out.
Il WAS al YOUR hotel, he said, rails M
his hat amiably, but you had out gone
aud 50 ] come here. "
"Haw,' said the Engl.shmsn, fixing hi.
glass III his eye and beaming through IL
upon the Young Cuban. I'm shush We M
always glad To see you--indeed, we-ah-
We are yawstly indebted 10 you already
for 50 many agreeable attentions -
Indeed said the Cuban, with depre
Catury wave uf the hand, Iii is | that
am cumpinneuted by lneeting men Of tn.
world -
The gambler nodded to him sagely, and
patted his shoulder with a thin, whit.
hand, on which giittered diamond as big
an acorn. Having passed creditably
through the complimentary stage of the
cuuyersation-sn absolute necessity iu the
tropics-we wandered over 10 the big
Louvre cafe. Here the Cuban told us OF
Il masked ball that was on that night As
near as We could make out il WAS u sort
VI half way respectable dance, where one
might expect 10 meet almost anything
There was always more or less mystery in
our talk. as the Cuban spoke very little
English. He, however, knew some Ger
man-the gambler knew the tongue we'll
and WAS admirable in French. The Brit
ish nobleman's knowledge OF the language
of the merry Gaul was on the same &C.
centric scale as my own, and We all knew
a little Spanish. The talk WAS commonly,
therefore, touching mixture Of French
Spanish. German and English.
And l rawther like il. too. dye
know the Englishman remarked that
night. 'l-ah-nevsh really understand
what people are talking about i'll my own
tongue, and I'm quite shuah no one has
the slightest idea what-sh-whst | hap
pen 10 Ike prating about, though We all
keep up such n tremendous seeming, You
know. This way il doesn't make
There was n sudden movement in the
crowd, chair WAS overturned and fell
with crash on the floor, and the Cuban
al our table sprang 10 his feet and glared
savasely al a ssllow faced man who stood
twenty feet away with his blazing eyes
oL ldSC
moved The space between them was
cleared instantly, and every man in the
room was on his feet except the nobleman,
the gambler and myself.
There's goin L be shootin'," muttered
the Chicago man softly.
Hooks that way" said the English
man lsconically, as he turned his hand
some and imperturbable face more toward
I. ~. Whan fha ('nhon ,nt r,..J
10 his feet his hand fell mechanically On
my shoulder, and his grip frightened as he
stared at his foe till l thought his nails
wouli bore through my coat. Thus he
stood for awhile, and then the statuesque
man across the room was surrounded by
his friends and hurried out lie went
with his face turned toward us To the last
il was brutal face. The Cuban sank in
his seat and lighted a cigarette, the wait
ers moved alertly about and rubbed my
shoulder gently.
Are y armed, m SOM asked the
gambler in his soothing voice as he laid
his hand on the Young fellows knee.
NO. else kill him as he stand" "
Well. well just z over with you 4
your house Iill You get in shape. see; |
don't know much, you unerstan', but l
come from q corner o the airth where
men take care u themselves, an know
tn look Of a man that'n shoot. II that
white livered snipe gets the drop Oh you,
yer gone >
Good, " said the boy-he was but Ell
~ viii go arm myself, but l 70 alone
else seem coward. VIII join YOU here
again
We nodded and he left Us, while the
gambler watched him closely Then the
Chicago man twisted about in his seat,
lighted a cigar neryOusly, moved his big
diamond ring once or twice on his thin
finger, and said in his peculiar, insinuat-
ing voice:
Don't you think had better go with
him.
We nodded again and he slid out of the
door and moved hurriedly across 10 the
park in the direction taken by the young
Cuban. The Engiishmsn pulled himself
together and told me of the trouble be-
tween our Ccban friend and the sallow
faced man who had glared at him in such
u theatrical manner.
That chap" said the lord, with a nod
toward the place where the sallow faced
man had stood, lis one Of the bestswords
men in Havana. He is the head of a fam
lily that's very well known here, and he's
fought a number Of duels both in Paris,
Madrid and at home. He has a surly dis
position, but his skill with the pistol and
foil has made him more or less famous,
and he is a good deal Of a local hero. He
is consumptive and booked for the 'voy-
age within q few years, anyhow, and
that seems to have made him reckless
His trouble with our friend Tomaso here
is Of less than rive hours standing They
were playing ecarte after breakfast to-
day; there was some dispute, and the boy
here threw the cards in the duelist's face.
l heard of il all in the clubs this after
noon while you were asleep. Several of
Tomaso's friends have tried to get him
away, but the boy has the right spirit,
aud he's a good deal more of an Anglo
Saxon than most Of the people here
rather think that is the reason that he
followed us TO the park to- night, and it
was certainly the reason that was glad
10 see him when he told me So His coun-
trymen are very eycitable, and he is gifted
with a good deal Of coolness | suppose
he finds Us the same way. | cannot say
that l AN particularly gratified with the
turn affairs have taken, though, for
rather thought that one of the three of us
was booked when that big eyed fire eater
stood glaring al Us. "
We smoked on TRANQUILITY, waiting the
return of TomasO. do not think either
one of US felt particularly cheerful, for
there is all element Of uncertainty, not to
say uneasiness, about il when you find
Yourself in the situation Of lying around
Town i'll strange country near midnight
with companion for whom somebody is
searching with murderous intent.
Presently Tomaso returned, but before
he entered the louvre the gambler slipped
IN ahea,i Of him. and doubt il he knows
Il "a Ill, in-- thn. Ia had - rirr,nrt shnrn